WINTER ACTIVITIESThe opening meet of the Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard on Monday next, 28th October at 11am and the opening meet of Ballylusky White Heather Harriers in Drangan on Sunday next 27th October is proof, if any were needed, that the dark November days are with us and winter activities about to begin.

FETHARD PLAYERSFethard Players are back on stage for this year’s production, a West-End, Broadway smash hit ‘Black Comedy’, a farce by Peter Shaffer. The play is a fast moving comedy that has delighted audiences all over the world. The play will run in the Abymill Theatre from Sunday 10th November to Saturday 16th November and booking has now opened at O’Flynns Menswear, Burke Street, Fethard. Tel: 052 31254.
Members of the cast are photographed above at rehearsal. Back L to R: Gerry Fogarty, Niamh Ryan, Lisa Rice, Jimmy O'Sullivan, Anne Connolly. Front L to R: Joe Walsh and Shay Dempsey. Also in the cast is Eoin Powell and the play is produced by Austin O'Flynn.

OLD TIMEThe introduction of olde time on this Saturday night, 25th October, is another sure-fire signal that the hands of the clock have gone around once more. The hands on Saturday night however, should go in reverse so do not forget to put your clocks back one hour before retiring.

NEWSLETTER COLLECTIONThe annual church gate collection in aid of the Fethard & Killusty Emigrants Newsletter will take place on this coming October Bank Holiday Weekend, 26th and 27th October. We ask for your support to help fund the printing and postage of over 1000 Newsletters delivered free of charge to our emigrants throughout the world. The postage cost alone of each Newsletter delivered outside Europe is €4. If you would like your donation acknowledged in this years Newsletter (we will acknowledge donations of €10 or more), please put your donation in an envelope with your name and address included and hand it in at the Church Gate Collection or deliver to Carmel Rice, Brookhill, Fethard.

LOURDES PILGRIMAGE 2003Anyone interested in travelling on the 2003 pilgrimage to Lourdes and would like to pay their fare by weekly instalments can do so. Kathleen Barry, Tullamaine, has organised a 28-week saving scheme where you pay per week save your fare in time for the trip. If you would like to join the scheme or get further details contact Kathleen at Tel: 052 31630.

DR TADHG O'KEEFFE RETURNS TO FETHARDCongratulations to Dr Tadhg O'Keeffe and his wife Margaret on the birth of their son Evan since his last visit to Fethard. Evan is now 18 months old.
Tadhg worked in Fethard for many months during 1994-1995 while compiling the 'Archaeological and Historical Survey of Fethard' for the National Heritage Council.
Since then, and among other projects, Tadhg has been working on the first draft of the Fethard Historical Atlas to the Royal Irish Academy which he intends to hand in at the end of this week. Their plan is to publish it in 2003.
The good news is that Tadhg has agreed to give a talk at the end of November in Fethard on ‘Fethard in the Eighteenth Century: a look at the famous estate maps’. Lots of new material has surfaced while working on the Fethard Historical Atlas.
Date of talk to be announced later!

LECTUREThe Fethard Historical Society’s lecture on ‘Tipperary’s Tithe War 1830-1838’ by Ms Noreen Higgins in the Abymill Theatre on Friday night last proved most interesting and informative. Noreen emphasised the part played by the residents of Fethard in the war against the payment of tithes. History books do not give details of Fethard’s very active part in the campaign.

GROVE ENTRANCEIf anyone has any information regarding the theft of very old ‘Capping Stones’ from the Lodge entrance to Kilmaclugh Graveyard on the Grove Estate, please contact the local Gardai. The entrance is on the left leaving Fethard and a few hundred yards before the entrance to Kiltinan Castle, on the top of Drumdeel Hill. This theft would have taken some time to complete and if anyone saw a vehicle parked in the entrance or anyone acting suspicious, your help would be much appreciated.

FERGAL MURRAY CAR SALESFergal Murray, Redcity, has a very extensive range of used cars now in stock for October. Cars to suit everybody! You can see the cars and special prices for yourself by visiting his website. CLICK HERE

HAVING A CHATHaving a chat at Watergate are L to R: Jim O'Meara, Bill Bradshaw and Joe Bradshaw.

MARRIED RECENTLYThe wedding took place at Killusty Church on Saturday 12th October of Louise, daughter of Mr Sean and Mrs Alice Moloney, Redcity, to Stephen Lalor, Killenaule.

ORGANIC FARM VISITPhotographed above are a group of dairy farmers from Hessen, Germany, who paid a visit to Fintan Rice's organic farm at Brookhill Fethard. The trip was organised through Teagasc, Moorepark, Co. Cork.

COMMUNITY CENTREThe new extension to Fethard’s Fr Tirry Community Centre has been completed and is open for use by all groups and societies availing of the centre’s facilities. The recent addition is of particular benefit to the senior citizens, patrons of the centre’s Day Care activities. The boon the Day Care Centre is to its patrons was only fully realised by the sense of loss our senior citizens felt while the centre was temporarily closed while the building work was in progress. However, all’s well that ends well, and all are now unanimous that the wait was more than well worthwhile.

FETHARD ATHLETIC CLUBFethard Athletic Club played host to the County Under 23 Masters Cross-Country Championships last weekend. The combination of steep terrain and atrocious weather conditions ensured that all athletes received a stern test of their cross-country racing ability. The club and indeed the A.A.I. would like to thank Marie and Philip Crean for the use of their land at Market Hill to run this event.The first three home in the AAI County Under-23 Mens Cross-Country race held in Fethard last Sunday L to R: 2nd John Kirwan (Coolquill), 1st Ross Alexander (Coolquill) and 3rd Owen Fanning (Ballynonty)The next race for juveniles is the County Even-Age Championships which takes place in Ballynonty on Sunday next 27th October. Cars will leave Fethard GAA Field at 10.45am sharp. The Fethard team is as follows:Girls’ under-10: Roisín Trehy, Fiona O’ConnorBoys’ Under-10: Gregory Henry, Brendan Gleeson, Damien Morrissey, Louis Rice and Jim Moloney.Girls’ Under-12: Ciara O’Connor, Sarah McManus, Hannah Trehy, Michelle Ryall, Aisling O’Connor, Aisling Dwyer, Laura Rice.Boys’ Under-12: John Lalor, Owen Healy, Ben Walsh, Conor Prendergast, Michael Costello, Kevin Quigley, Ryan Laslett, Darragh Dwyer.Girls’ Under-14: Mary Gleeson, Elaine Kennedy, Aoife O’Gorman, Aoife O’Connor, Bernadette Costello, Amy Morrissey, Aisling Browne and Nicola Henry.Boys’ Under-14: Lolo Trehy, Shane Gorey, Wayne Laslett.Boys’ Under-18: David Sullivan

Left is Bernard Feery (St Catherines AC) winner of the AAI Masters Over-40 County Cross Country Race in Fethard and right, Dolores Costigan, Moyglass, running in the Masters Women's race at the in the AAI County Cross-Country Championships held in Fethard last Sunday

THIS WEEK'S - 'PIC OF THE PAST'If you have an old photograph of interest to our readers why not email it to us and we will include it on next week's 'Pic of the Past'The following photographs were taken in Fethard in the 1940's and 1950's and used as postcards. No need for pedestrian crossings then!

CULCHIE FESTIVAL DRAWS NEARIreland's Original Culchie Festival will take place in Fethard next weekend and the buzz in town is beginning to start as the locals prepare for the annual invasion of Culchies and their supporters. To see a selection of this years contestants CLICK HERE

DIED RECENTLYWe record the death of Jack Ryan, Fr. Tirry Park, and formerly of Kerry Street, who died on Thursday 17th October. Remains left McCarthy's Funeral Parlour at 7pm on Friday 18th October for Holy Trinity Church Fethard. Burial took place at Calvary Cemetery following 11am Mass on Saturday.